Variations on Timing Decisions After Participating in Travel Behavior Change Programs

Travel Behavior Change Programs (TBCP) based on psychological principles of persuasions, were implemented to habitual drivers in Valencia (Spain) with the objective of convincing them to reduce car use. Participants in TBCP were selected from those involved in a two-wave activity scheduling process panel survey, which collected weekly pre-planned and executed activity-travel agendas. Actions included in TBCP were implemented between the two panel survey waves, so it is possible to analyze the effect of such actions comparing the way panelists involved in TBCP pre-planned and executed activities and travels in the second survey wave with panelists not involved in TBCP. It is argued that the influences of TBCP extends to the way people pre-plan and re-schedule activities and travels. The desire to reduce car use may drive them to modify the starting time of specific activities, facilitating to share a car or to use alternative transportation modes. In this paper, variations on timing decisions after participating in TBCP are studied. Participants in TBCP pre-planned and executed more morning activities and less night activities than non-participants. Demographic and socioeconomic factors and characteristics of activity and travel episodes are significant to explain those changes as well. Practical implications of the findings in terms of operational modeling and transportation policy are described.